Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) (previously called dysmorphophobia) is a psychological disorder where a person is excessively concerned and preoccupied by a perceived defect in their physical features (body image). The word "dysmorphic" comes from Greek "dys," which means "bad," and, "morpho," meaning "form." In Body dysmorphic disorder there is always a debilitating or excessive fear of judgment by others.

Onset of symptoms generally occurs in adolescence or early adulthood but can develop in children and older adults. However, body dysmorphic disorder may be more severe in youth, and suicide attempts may be more common in children and adolescents than in adults with BDD.

The DSM-5 moved Body dysmorphic disorder from the Somatoform disorders category to Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders category because BDD thoughts are referred to as preoccupations, or obsessions. This is because body dysmorphic disorder thoughts are typically very much like OCD thoughts and are time-consuming, difficult to resist, and hard to control.

Diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder depends on a preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance that is markedly excessive, and causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Adults, children and adolescents have distressing, time-consuming preoccupations that can focus on any body area.

Trichotillomania (the repeated urge to pull out scalp, eyebrow or other body hair, sometimes resulting in noticeable bald patches) and Dermatillomania (the repeated urge to pick at one's own skin, often to the extent that damage is caused) are common in body dysmorphic disorder, but NOT requisituniversal .

Trichotillomania involving the eyebrows and eyelashes. Trichotillomania involving the scalp.

Dermatillomania involving the arms, shoulders and chest.

The number of people with Body dysmorphic disorder who have thoughts of suicide approach 80%, and the number of people who actually kill themselves is twice that of people with Major depressive disorder. In addition, research suggests that around 76% of people with Body dysmorphic disorder experience Major depressive disorder at some point in their lives.